Troubled Minds
by Coffee-dono
Summary: BrucexSteve. Hit with a realization, Steve contemplates on his relationship with Bruce. In turn, the good doctor has little to no plans of letting it end so easily.
1. Bold Decisions

Summary: Steve has a realization and he didn't like it one bit.

* * *

Steve sighed as he watched the room to his and Bruce's shared bedroom close. He had taken his laptop and left, instructing Jarvis -who was thankfully still up- to transport his clothes to another room using the house-wide wardrobe system that Tony had made. He needed time to think after realizing something.

Bruce had complained about getting a heartburn and Steve promptly pulled out a kicked puppy look which in turn, prompted a response from Bruce that really stung Steve.

_'...and you're not at all concerned.'_

Steve had bit the inside of his cheek when he heard that. He knew that Bruce didn't need to be sassed after his stressful day working with Tony down at the labs. He also didn't want to start a fight. They had been doing so well, after all...well at least in his opinion.

That comment made him re-assess things though.

Did he really appear to not be concerned at all with Bruce when it was the other man who needed the comfort and concern? Steve didn't know really. So he decided to distance himself for a while and leave Bruce with a letter that would explain things once he wakes up.

* * *

_Bruce,_

_I had Jarvis haul my things out of the room so please don't be surprised if the closet is half empty when you wake up to dress up. _

_What you told me last night bothered me and I couldn't get it out of my mind as I tried to stay awake long enough to take the medicine for this strange bug I caught while we were in Asgard. _

_I'm sorry if I come off as unconcerned sometimes, Bruce. I really don't mean it. And because I don't mean it, I don't notice it at all until the time comes that you point it out to me. Again, I'm sorry. _

_I'm going to distance myself for a bit, I think. I won't totally ignore you or anything like that...I'll just be taking a wide step back from everything. I need to re-assess myself if I come out like this to others, especially to you. The last thing I want is to hurt you because of my carelessness. _

_If you think about it, our relationship has been catering more to me lately and it isn't fair for you. I'm really sorry about that..._

_Hopefully I'll get myself sorted out soon. _

_Yours,_

_Steve_


	2. The Morning After

Summary: Bruce wakes up to find his room in a state he'd never thought to see.

* * *

His usual phone alarm woke him up in the wee hours of the morning. There was a cold breeze that drifted in through the windows as Bruce sat up, rubbing the last sleep from his eyes. He frowned when he glanced to the side and saw an empty bedside.

"Steve?" he mumbled, looking around the room to find no sign or movement. Bruce had slept through his heartburn from last night after overworking himself down at the labs and was talked into having an order or two of shawarma that Tony had had delivered for them to make up for dinner. Rubbing his chest mindlessly, he was about to get to his feet before spotting a letter on his bedside table as he reached to switch the alarm off on his phone.

Promptly after disarming the device, he unfolded the letter and read it. Bruce was halfway to his feet before he slowly sat back down as he reached the end of that letter. Heaving a heavy sigh, he lowered it and brought a hand to his head, rubbing his temples with his thumb and middle finger. "This early in the morning Steve?" he said with another collective sigh.

He glanced at the clock for a while and begrudgingly went to get dressed. As expected, the closet was half-empty and he vaguely wondered why that was even a necessity. But when Steve made his mind about something, Bruce thought it better not to argue. Soul-searching or not, Captain America was just that kind of character.

As Bruce was attempting to tame his hair, he thought back to their whole relationship thus far. Yes, he admitted that it had been smooth sailing with little to no major arguments... unless you counted that incident last Friday when Bruce had urged Steve to come to their off-site facility when the man was clearly sick. If he compared that to Steve's request last night it never stood a chance. But then Bruce lingered on the notion of where all attention was focusing between the two of them.

Granted, Bruce agreed that a lot of the time, Steve was the focal point, but for good reason. Bruce worked a near-regular job with Tony at decent work hours from 8:30-5:30 at their off-site labs, sometimes extending due to needed re-calculations or calibrations and possible dinner invites from the cocky philanthropist. It left him stressful and tired by the end of each weekday, but he got paid bi-monthly for his contributions. The doctor, in essence, was the breadwinner amongst the two. It quickly became an obligation for Bruce to make sure Steve was cared for, especially realizing that the man out of time was emotionally in complete contrast to his tough exterior as Captain America.

Bruce knew about Steve's story; he didn't want him to feel abused or rejected, just as he was many times prior to the exposure to the Super Serum. So Bruce took extra care to shower Steve with all the necessary treats he could afford - dining at Steve's favorite restaurants, clocking off work at the exactly 5:30 every Friday to kick-start quality time with him, and spending in general for the man who stole Bruce's heart.

Decided, the doctor took a moment to pull out his BannerPhone and type up a message to send to Steve to read when he had the chance.

_Steve,_

_I read your letter. And I just want to let you know a few things:_

_1. Ill never get tired of doing things for you, so I hope you don't consider this as anything other than my way of showering affection for you. Kinda like Christian Grey in that trilogy novel you burned after reading it._

_2. You don't have to apologize for anything. No one needs to adapt to anything they're not comfortable with. Besides, you'd have given change that opportunity a long time ago when we were starting out._

_3. If I came off as annoyed or accusatory of you being inconsiderate of my well-being then I have to apologize. As you said, I was just stressed and the last thing I wanted to happen was to snap at you for being inconsiderate. Granted, I had deprived you of a decent conversation for that allotted time after work which I had promised you I'd do. So for that, I apologize._

_4. __**I just LOVE you**__. NEVER forget that. Amidst everything, I don't think I can stress that point any more than I can keep the other guy in check. And I'm sure the other guy will agree that you're someone who we can't afford to let go, so sometimes we end up doing and saying things that will get you to overthink and overanalyze things when it really isn't necessary. We just end up saying and doing those things to get you to stay for fear that you'd leave. _

_I'll respect your decision of needing some space, but please don't take too long. I'll miss you too much. When I come back from work tonight, I hope to see you've moved your clothes back and are waiting for me on the bed just like you always do._

_Yours forever,_

_Bruce_

After rereading it, he pressed the Send button.


	3. Quick Responses

Summary: Despite getting a fast and straight to the point response, someone remains unconvinced.

* * *

Steve had been lying in bed the entire morning, trying to get some more sleep. The previous night had not been kind to him at all as he spent it coughing continually. He tried taking water to ease it up but that didn't do anything but make him go to the bathroom more often. He tried taking medicine that he really hated because of its taste but that didn't work either. With all his attempts failing, he resigned himself to riding it out.

By the time morning came, he heard the mansion come alive with activity. A lot of the Avengers were morning persons so it was no surprise to hear movement outside. He guessed that Bruce was one of the people who left early. After all, it was another off-site day for him.

He waited a bit longer and ended up falling asleep only to wake up around thirty minutes later because of his rather persistent coughing. It was getting bad. Last week it was the colds that still hadn't left him but had significantly cleared up and now it was the coughing. He swore that he would never go back to Asgard again. EVER.

Looking at the windows and seeing the sunlight streaming through it, as well as some birds by the window sill hopping about, the super soldier decided to get up and start his day. Might as well since it was nearly 11 in the morning.

Sighing, he walked up to his BannerPhone (It was a StarkPhone but Bruce made quick work of that one fine day,) and saw a small envelope on the screen. He had a message, apparently. Tinkering with it for a few moments, he finally got the device to display the message that was from Bruce.

Reading it, he frowned and felt his heart sink even more. Now he felt even worse. Bruce admitted he was stressed, never really a good sign. What was even worse was the fact that there was no refute on everything being focused on him lately. That confirmed things for him even more and it was very disheartening.

"So I really was being selfish..."

With a very heavy sigh, he unplugged his phone from the charger before walking back to bed and slumped down.

"...nice going Rogers..."

Navigating his way around the system to compose a message, he trained his eyes on the screen to make sure he wouldn't mispress the buttons there.

* * *

_Stop being too nice and going too easy on me. I deserve the blame and you know it. It doesn't take one rocket scientist to figure out that you're the one who has the shorter straw on this relationship, Bruce, and frankly that's just unfair. _

_You deserve more than this. You deserve better than this._

* * *

Steve looked at the last line he had typed and felt a rush of guilt. It was true...Bruce deserved so much better.

With that, he hit the send button.


	4. Realities

Summary: The answer to his message leaves Bruce actually chuckling to himself.

* * *

It was lunch break when Bruce pulled out his phone when he felt the vibration. Spotting the message icon, he tapped on it to reveal the reply from Steve. As he read it, the doctor shook his head, chuckling. This sounded all too familiar. Leaning back on his chair, he quickly typed up a response.

* * *

_I'm being too nice and going too easy on you? I don't think that's the case._

_And so what if I have the "shorter straw"? I don't think that's unfair. I enjoy having the shorter straw because I want to make you happy. I don't care what that means. Things just have to be about you because you need it more than I do at this point. It'll come into equilibrium soon enough. That's the cycle of our relationship, or perhaps you've just missed it._

_And the "this" you keep mentioning is something that I can't live without; Our relationship is more than enough to make me the happiest man alive, Steve. I sleep better every night knowing that I have you as my partner. I worry twice as much if you're going through something and I am more than annoyed when things happen to you and I'm powerless to stop or do anything about it. _

_Don't put yourself down because the last thing I need you to think about is feeling you don't deserve me, which is probably the case now. You are the only one in this universe who I love more than life itself, Steve Rogers. I want us to be happy; to be together for eons to come. _

_THAT is why I elect to take the shorter straw, Steve. I want us to be happy. _

_I don't say no to the things you want because you deserve that after all the fucked uppery you seem to be coming across while I'm not by your side. You DESERVE the attention._

_The more and the better are just conjectures and nothing more. I don't deserve anyone else but you, Steve. _

_I want you to constantly feel loved. Your embrace and spending time with me is your way to reciprocating the feeling enough. _

* * *

Like before, Bruce scrolled up, re-reading his work before he tapped on Send.

"Back to work I go," he said to himself.


	5. Seeing Right Through

Summary: Reading the last reply, Steve makes up his mind and wrap up his 'soul searching'.

* * *

Steve had to admit, the moment he had sent the message to Bruce he have been checking his phone constantly at 5 minute intervals. He was anxious and he tried his best not to show it but ultimately failed.

At a bit past 2 in the afternoon, he slipped out of the room he had settled in and grabbed something to eat from the kitchen before going back in. He didn't see any of the other avengers there which, in his opinion, was a good thing. Less questions to answer if they did come up. He was sure he'd be getting a lot from Jarvis anyway.

Once he came back in his room, he checked his phone again and saw a message from Bruce. Placing the slice of cake he had swiped on the bedside table, he grabbed the phone and read the message that was sent to him.

A heavy sigh was all that came out of him after reading all of it. He was a big idiot and that's the truth. Bruce was right, he tended to over analyze things and that usually caused problems like these. He should stop doing things with his head all the time, and maybe just let things happen as they come.

Bruce had hit it spot on, as usual. Then again, after being together for such a long time it's not surprising. Steve knew that at this point in time, Bruce knew him better than he knew himself.

Shaking his head, he smiled and got up. "Hey Jarvis?" he called out.

"Clothes are already back in your room, Captain," came Jarvis' smooth reply. Steve wondered if the guy also knew him better than he gave him credit for.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

And with that, Steve grabbed the slice of cake he had abandoned and opted to finish it in the bedroom he shared with Bruce. Who knows, maybe Bruce would be back by the time Steve finishes an episode or two of Doctor Who.

He'll make it up to him then.

**END**


End file.
